Genus: Musa.
Species: acuminata. 
Denomination: Little Prince.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Musa acuminata, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name, xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99.
The inventor owns a nursery in Raleigh, N.C., and has a special interest in sub-tropical plants that can been grown as landscape plants in the south-east region of the United States, including the genera Musa and Canna. The inventor is a commercial grower of Musa including the dwarf cultivars of Musa acuminata known as Musa acuminata xe2x80x98Novakxe2x80x99 (unpatented), Musa acuminata xe2x80x98Dwarf Cavendishxe2x80x99 (unpatented) and Musa acuminata xe2x80x98Super Dwarf Cavendishxe2x80x99 (unpatented).
xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 was discovered in the inventor""s nursery in Raleigh, N.C. as one plant in one cell within a cell tray of tissue culture stage III (rooted in growing medium) plants of Musa acuminata xe2x80x98Dwarf Cavendishxe2x80x99 (unpatented). The inventor observed that the plant in this particular cell had four pseudostems (tightly wrapped leaf sheaves giving the appearance of a single stem or trunk) arising from a common piece of callous tissue. The inventor observed the entire set of plants from the cell tray including the plant with four pseudostems. After 3 months of further growth, the plant with four pseudostems failed to obtain the height common to the rest of the crop. The inventor transplanted into separate 1-gallon pots the entire set of plants in the cell tray. At six months after transplanting, the one plant with the four pseudostems was approximately 10 inches tall, whereas the rest of the plants, being grown under identical conditions, had achieved a height of approximately 5 feet. The inventor concluded that the said one plant, now named xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99, with its four pseudostems was a naturally occurring genetically mutated dwarf sport of the presumed parent Musa acuminata xe2x80x98Dwarf Cavendishxe2x80x99. When compared with xe2x80x98Dwarf Cavendishxe2x80x99, xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 remains short in successive seasons of growth whereas xe2x80x98Dwarf Cavendishxe2x80x99 continues to grow at a faster rate until reaching a mature height of approximately 8-10 feet, that is approximately six times the height of a mature, same age, plant of xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99.
In April 1996, the inventor first asexually propagated xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 by division and separation of the pseudostems at the rhizomatous base. Upon establishment of each division, the inventor determined that xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 had been reproduced true to type. The inventor commissioned a tissue culture laboratory in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., to commence multiplication in vitro of xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 which has continued, both in vitro and in its subsequent growth, to remain stable and true to type in successive generations.
The inventor has observed that xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 begins to exhibit unique characteristics of thicker and darker green leaves at approximately 4-5 months from deflasking. After a further period of approximately six months in growing medium (that is, 10-12 months after deflasking) the foliage of xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 appears as a flattened rosette of leaves, at which stage the variety is approximately 10xe2x80x3-12xe2x80x3 tall, measured from the top of the growing medium. The comparison variety known as xe2x80x98Novakxe2x80x99 at this same stage exhibits leaves which are still unfurling, and are longer and without any crown formation. In second and subsequent growing years, the differences between xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Novakxe2x80x99 become yet more apparent as follows:
The leaves of xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 will grow to no more than 14xe2x80x3-18xe2x80x3 in blade length; Novak grows to 24xe2x80x3-30xe2x80x3. The xe2x80x9ctrunkxe2x80x9d of xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 slows its extension and will grow typically to a height of 18 inches, and to no more than 24 inches; Novak will extend to a height typically of 40 inches to 48 inches, and sometimes taller. All parts of xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 appear dwarfed in scale compared with other dwarf varieties of Musa acuminata known to the inventor.
The leaves of xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 have been observed to be thicker making Little Prince a better houseplant. This same thickness renders the foliage of xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 to be much more resistant to the wind shredding that is common to all bananas including Novak when used in the landscape.
xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 has never been observed to flower.
Indicative comparisons of final plant height of xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 and of other dwarf varieties of Musa acuminata known to the inventor are as follows:
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the distinguishing characteristics of the new Musa variety known as xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99. These traits in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 from all other existing varieties of Musa known to the inventor. xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, however, without any variance in genotype.
1. Musa xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 is short in height, with a mature height of 24 to 30 inches.
2. Musa xe2x80x98Little Pricexe2x80x99 has not been observed to flower.
3. Musa xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 exhibits thicker leaves than other dwarf Musa.
4. Musa xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 exhibits darker green leaves than the species.
5. Musa xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 exhibits low light tolerance.
6. Musa xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 forms a crown rosette of leaves at a young age as opposed to extending the length of the two pseudostems as is typical of Musa acuminata. 
7. Musa xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 is approximately {fraction (1/16)}th the mature size of the parent plant.
8. Musa xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 exhibits a thicker trunk for its height, than other dwarf Musa, especially at its base.
9. Musa xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 exhibits a plant structure with leaves that appear to layer in a clockwise fashion, almost on top of each other.
10. Musa xe2x80x98Little Princexe2x80x99 is suitable as a container or landscape plant and as a decorative indoor plant.